Did This Bit Of Harmless Banter Deserve A £5,000 Fine, Along With Accusations Of Sexism?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/631868/Cricket-Chris-Gayle-5000-fine-TV-presenter-live-TV

[Svejk]

sunny-dave

/// I think the worst thing about this particular incident was that (if she had replied forcefully) it could have cost her her job -///

Only in your head, sd.

[Old_Geezer]

The fine is excessive. The banter seems inappropriate given it was a professional situation not a social one. But one can't help but think if one can not stand the heat one ought not be in the kitchen. It probably needs to be judged in context to other things said to others in similar situations. Is it normal or out of place ? Do folk generally object, or come back with snappy retort ? What is the prevailing culture ?

[andy-hughes]

Old_Geezer - //But one can't help but think if one can not stand the heat one ought not be in the kitchen.//

That appears to infer that an attractive professional female journalist must accept inappropriate on-camera comments as simply par for the course.

Would a male journalist expect, or tolerate the same?

But as I said previously, the journalist appears not to have brought the punishment, it is the sportsman's employers, based on previous instances of this type of inappropriate behaviour.

Thoughtless embarrassing nonsense is not an occupational hazard of the job simply by being a woman - it is not appropriate, and that is what has transpired from the reaction, again I stress, not from the lady in question, who has been professional enough not to drag it out further, but by the team who do not wish this type of nonsense to be seen as appropriate or acceptable.

[andy-hughes]

Old_Geezer - //It probably needs to be judged in context to other things said to others in similar situations. Is it normal or out of place ? Do folk generally object, or come back with snappy retort ? What is the prevailing culture ? //

How about - I'm a professional sports journalist, you are a professional sportsman, I'll interview you about your sport, and you can respond accordingly.

If I want to go out for a drink with you, I will let you know, and if I am not doing that - then read the signs and behave like the professional you are supposed to be - which is what I am doing.

Would you be so disrespectful to a male journalist? No, so can it with me.

OK?

Good.

[Old_Geezer]

"Would a male journalist expect, or tolerate the same?"

Of course. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, although I'm getting the message that I'm the only one in the world who thinks that's true.

As for others being offended on someone else's behalf; that seems par for the course these days.

[andy-hughes]

Old_Geezer - //"Would a male journalist expect, or tolerate the same?"

Of course. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, although I'm getting the message that I'm the only one in the world who thinks that's true. //

Let's not be naïve here shall we?

A section of the populace - and some on here - think that such behaviour can only be expected by an attractive woman - I happen to think that is a wrong position to take.

You and I know that if he did it, he is being a 'bit of a lad', if she had done it, she would be upbraided as a tart / hussy / cougar .... ad nauseum.

//As for others being offended on someone else's behalf; that seems par for the course these days. //

The cricketers employers are not 'being offended' on behalf of the journalist - they are sending out a message to him, and the rest of the team, that unprofessional and inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated - that is a very different position.

Personally, I am not 'offended' on anyone's behalf, as I opined earlier, his behaviour was thoughtless and immature, but to be fair, he did apologise when he realised that fact.

[woofgang]

If it was a one off done on the spur of the moment, then maybe the fine was excessive.....but it sounds like it wasn’t. From the report, it seems to have been serial behaviour and the time and place were deliberately chosen to limit the lady’s chance to respond as she chose. Either way it was thoughtless and impolite. Like it or not sportsmen and women are ambassadors for their club, their sport and their nation, also these days, their ethnicity and religion, if they have one, and should behave accordingly.

[Old_Geezer]

I see nothing naive about it. If it was directed towards a male interviewer why would he react inappropriately ? All adults there aren't they ?

[andy-hughes]

Old_Geezer - //If it was directed towards a male interviewer why would he react inappropriately? //

And what do you think are the chances of a female athlete being so boorish and unprofessional her behaviour towards a male sports journalist?

Somewhere between slim and none I would suggest.

[gness]

I've been reading about this chap today.......it's not the first time he's been reported to his captain for inappropriate sexual behaviour and comments to a female.

I suppose for the women who have to interview him or work with him it's like when you have to deal with the letchy chap at work.....the one who thinks his remarks are banter and funny....and it's you at fault for not taking it as such.
Many of us have come across this type of male in the work place and the look on Mel McLaughlin's face showed how stomach churning this behaviour is.

[sunny-dave]

From that bastion of Political Correctness ... The Daily Telegraph :+()

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/westindies/12083972/Chris-Gayle-accused-of-exposing-himself-to-woman.html

Seems like a nice chap - not only waves his bits around so that women can see what they are missing - but he even has a strippers' pole installed in his house - how thoughtful ...

[DTCwordfan]

"He wasn't out on the pull, svejk." = unfortunate cricket terminology - maybe he thought she was a 'hooker' but then he made a slip-drive.

[Islay]

It wasn't harmless it was demeaning and insulting - would he have asked a male interviewer out live on air?

[-Talbot-]

eh?

[-Talbot-]

That was to DT of course.

[retrocop]

He doesn't know his willy for his Willow it seems. Did he escape charges and if so dare I ask why?

[DTCwordfan]

Not a cricketer then, Talbot.....look up pull, hook and slip drive.

[Orderlimit]

More silly trendy nonsense. She's probably in the wrong job talking to high-profile adrenalin charged athletes or just a racist.